Suicide is a global public health problem and a psychiatric emergency. Across the world, nearly 8 lakh people die by suicide every year. In our country, the suicide rate is 12 per lakh population (as per National Crime Records Bureau, 2021). In 2021 alone, 1,64,033 deaths were reported due to suicide in India.

Among the young population aged 15 – 19 years, suicide is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide and as per the national surveys, it is the second most common cause of death in young people aged 15 – 29 years. These numbers are very alarming.

Causes of Suicide –

To solve any problem, it is significant to understand its causes. Hence, for planning an effective suicide prevention strategy it is essential to assess the risk factors.

It’s well known that people who commit or attempt suicide struggle with some mental health issues.

Around 90% of the people who attempt suicide suffer from some psychiatric illness. However, Indian statistics depict a slightly varied picture. Indian studies suggest that psychosocial problems are more culpable than mental disorders.

As per NCRB 2021, family problems accounted for 33.2% of suicides, followed by illnesses, substance abuse, financial issues, professional/work-related problems, etc. These studies also indicate towards significant role of impulsiveness in suicide attempts.

Understanding Suicide – 

For ages, suicide has been considered a taboo and people who attempt or commit suicide have been stigmatized. Our legal system also has a very superficial understanding of suicide, thus making suicide attempts a punishable offense. This law has not been amended in the last 155 years.

The Mental Healthcare Act (MHCA), 2017 is a move towards decriminalization of suicide. It states that any person who tries to commit suicide should be presumed to have severe stress and, hence should not be punished and it’s the duty of the government to provide care, treatment, and rehabilitation of any individual so as to reduce the risk of recurrence of an attempt. MHCA can promote awareness and encourage people to seek appropriate treatment and care. However, section 309 IPC is still untouched.

Prevention –

1. Policy Changes –

Our government agencies need to work on policies and strategies at the national level to reduce and prevent suicides. This includes educating people about suicide, banning/restricting access to hazardous pesticides, and enforcing strict suicide reporting guidelines for the media.

2. Creating Awareness –

• A) Conducting campaigns to create awareness about mental health problems and reduce the stigma associated with it.
• B) Conducting mental health and suicide prevention programs at schools and workplaces.
• C) Developing and implementing community gatekeeping training programs.

3. Specific Interventions –

• A) School-based interventions such as crisis management, self-esteem enhancement, development of coping skills, career counseling, etc.
• B) Helpline numbers for psychosocial support and guidance.
• C) Family/ Peer Support – About two-thirds of the people who commit suicide communicate their suicidal intent in weeks prior to death. If a member of your family or a friend communicates such thoughts to you or if you see them in social or psychological distress, offer them support, try to discuss coping strategies, and encourage them to seek professional help.
• D) Professional Help – Seek help and support from a mental health professional if you are struggling with thoughts of self-harm. With the aid of medications and/or psychotherapy, one can prevent this personal and social disaster from happening. If a person has already attempted suicide once, there shouldn’t be any delay in consulting with a psychiatrist. It can have a huge impact on the future outcome.

Therapy is perhaps the most under-utilized treatment for persons with suicidal thoughts/acts. It may have the potential to be the most effective in the long term and improve quality of life. We have discussed therapy in such cases in detail in a YouTube video the link of which is given below.